Although the Union Budget 2018 brought cheers to agriculture and rural economy, it disappointed the salaried class as the government avoided any change in the income tax rates.

Citing this pain of the government employees, National Joint Council of Action Chief Shiv Gopal Mishra, who is very vocal in urging the government to increase minimum wage of government employees under 7th Pay Commission, reportedly said, “We were expecting that the government would have announced some relief for us on income tax but it didn’t happen.”

Mishra took potshots at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the latter has repeated the same words what he has been saying since last five years.

He further said that a large number of employees were expecting that the government might announce an increase in minimum wage, change in fitment formula, an announcement on new pension scheme but it didn’t happen.

"The government had not announced anything new and I would like to say that for millions of Central government employees this is the most disappointing Budget in past 60 years,” Mishra added.

According to reports, the government, however, may extend benefit to Central government staff in May with increased salary under the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission.

This will reportedly be extended in the next financial year as the implementions of the pay panel recommendations will be made from April 2018.

Last year in June, the Union Cabinet had approved recommendations of the CPC with 34 modifications, which will mean an additional annual burden of Rs 30,748 crore on the exchequer.